People in Leeds are being encouraged to have their say on a proposed licensing scheme for private rented housing.
Leeds council began selective licensing in Beeston and Harehills in 2020 and the council now wants a new and expanded scheme that would also take in parts of Armley, Holbeck, Hunslet, Cross Green and East End Park.
All private landlords – with certain limited exceptions – would be required by law to obtain a licence for any residential property they are seeking to let in the designated area.
A public consultation on the proposed scheme was launched this week.
Interested parties across the city – including landlords, tenants and other stakeholders – are being urged to share their thoughts before the end of the consultation on December 13.
A spokesperson for Leeds council says: “Privately rented properties are a key source of housing in Leeds and it’s vitally important that they are safe, warm and well managed places to live.
“We want to explore options for protecting and improving the quality of every type of home in our city, with the newly-launched consultation on selective licensing forming part of that work.
“I would encourage as many people as possible to let us know their views over the course of the next few months.”
More than 4,500 inspections and other visits have been conducted at properties in Beeston and Harehills under their existing schemes.
Landlords have had to carry out improvement work on more than 1,500 homes where issues were identified during these checks.
A decision is expected in the first half of 2025.
This article is taken from Landlord Today